Tracy Baxter Reports: Social media helps police when public uses it wisely

Tuesday

May 7, 2013 at 2:00 AM

Let's start with a show of hands. How many of you think you've got a handle on all this modern communication technology?

Tracy Baxter

Let's start with a show of hands. How many of you think you've got a handle on all this modern communication technology?

I'm referring to things like tweeting and Facebook posting — not mastering the TV remote.

You can be sure some of the raised hands belong to police officers, because as we learned from the Boston bombings, an increasing number of law enforcement personnel are walking a virtual beat these days. They're using social media to supplement traditional crime-solving techniques.

What happened in Boston was an eye-opener to those previously unaware of the vast array of Web tools now at the disposal of our crime fighters.

A flood of electronic images poured in once the FBI sounded a public call for help. Thousands of marathon watchers submitted cell-phone videos and photos.

Once the video and photos of the suspects were displayed on all media platforms, it was just a matter of time. And it was a Twitter message posted by the Boston Police Department that broke the news of the capture.

But there is a potential downside to all this lightning-fast information dissemination. The rush to locate a perpetrator in Boston led to the initial targeting of an innocent bystander.

Ask police officials about inaccurate social media postings and they'll tell you how they can add grist to the rumor mill.

Town of Montgomery police Chief Arnold Amthor had a bone to pick with social media users following his department's recent search for a suicidal man in Maybrook. Rumors of a villagewide lockdown spread like wildfire.

The chief later called the misinformation a hindrance to law enforcement efforts — forcing officers to spend valuable time dispelling non-factual statements.

A similar situation played out recently in Sullivan County when the young and not-so-young took to Twitter and Facebook to spread the word about a shooter on the loose in Monticello High School. It turned out to be a realistic-looking police drill.

Forward-looking police departments are adapting to the modern media landscape.

Our growing social connections can help them crack cases. And an increasing number of departments now have Facebook pages to deliver information and build a stronger bond with the communities they serve.

The Boston bombing case did more than advance the public discourse over how we attempt to prevent future acts of terrorism. It also put the spotlight on the benefits when social media is effectively used by law enforcement. Now, if we can just keep accuracy from getting lost when instant access is gained.

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Two weeks ago, I told the story of Barbara Allen's quest to obtain a Purple Heart for her late husband, Lt. Lou Allen. Readers requested follow-up information. Her White House petition drive is now under way at http://wh.gov/zroT

-- Reach Tracy Baxter at tbaxter@th-record.com and see his online blog and NewsWatch program at recordonline.com